About Us

South West Carnivorous Plants

South West Carnivorous Plants was started by Alistair and Jenny Pearce, both trained in horticulture, over 25 years ago.
Over the years we have won many awards for our carnivorous plant displays including seven Chelsea Gold Medals, Best in Show at Malvern Spring Flower Show and Most innovative Display award at Hampton Court Flower Show.
We have supplied plants for gardens around the country such as RHS Garden at Wisley, Glasgow Botanic Gardens, Cambridge Botanic Gardens and Down House, the home of Charles Darwin as well as many Universities and schools for teaching purposes.
Our plants have also appeared in natural history filming and photography, the latest being the BBC Life series (see some of the out-take footage on YouTube).

Most of our plants are sold through the website, but you are welcome to visit the nursery, either on one of our open days or by appointment.

The Nursery

The nursery is situated on the Devon/Somerset border on the edge of the Blackdown Hills. We have a small, one acre site bordered by the River Culm, with two glasshouses and three polytunnels. We just grow carnivorous plants which thrive on the many insects that feed and pollinate them - the surrounding farmland provides a constant supply!
We do not have opening hours but visitors are welcome by appointment. We have an open day on 4th September from 9.00 - 5.00.
The nursery is in a frost pocket in a very cold valley so our plants come into growth fairly late in the season. Mid to late May is the best time for Sarracenia flowers and June to September is the peak time for traps. Venus Flytraps, Sundews etc look good from April to September. The tropical house is situated inside one of the glasshouses and is looking lush and full of Nepenthes traps and Bladderwort flowers in the summer.
We propagate most of our own plants - particularly Venus Flytraps and Pitcher Plants. Some plants will not be available until late spring after the propagating season.

Directions to nursery

From M5 northbound, leave at J27 and take the A38 towards Wellington. Turn R down the B3391 to Culmstock. As you come into the village, you will see the village hall ahead of you as the road bends to the right. Take the road by the telephone box, straight ahead of you - you have to cross the junction - and follow this road for just under a mile. The nursery is on the right - you should see the glasshouse.

From the M5 southbound, leave at J26 and turn R towards Wellington. Turn left at the next roundabout onto the A38. At the end of the Wellington bypass, there is another roundabout and you bear left. After aprox. 3 miles turn left to Culmstock on the B3391 and follow the directions above.

If you are coming from Honiton direction, come over the hill through Dunkeswell and Hemyock. You will approach from the other direction coming through the village and over the bridge and up to the school, where there is a right hand turn across the road junction alongside the village hall (by the phone box). Follow this road for just under a mile and the nursery is on the right - the glasshouse is quite obvious.